RAVPower Qi Wireless Charging Stand review

With more and more new devices supporting wireless chargers, you’ve probably looked at a few to get in on the trend.

But like any other gadget for your smartphone, there’s a ton of to pick from. You’ve got a few different styles and brands, like flat charging pads, stands, and things from brands like RAVPower.

So today, we’re taking a look at RAVPower’s dual coil Qi wireless charging stand that aims to be one of the more functional wireless chargers on the market.

The biggest different you’ll immediately notice with the wireless charging stand is that, well, it’s a stand. Most wireless chargers are flat circular pads that you drop your phone on and they charge in the background, but that keeps you from actually using your device while it’s charging. Major inconvenience.

The RAVPower stand will let your phone stand upright while charging, and while you still can’t pick it up and play games or anything, it’s much easier to interact with the device without interrupting the charge. It also utilizes a dual coil charging design, which means you can drop the phone in either portrait or landscape orientation and still recharge. Portrait mode makes sense for most things, but this does open up the possibility of using the stand as a dock while you watch movies or YouTube.

As far as build quality goes, this is easily one of the most well-built docks or chargers that I’ve used. It’s weighted enough to not slide around on a table, and it feels like it can take a few drops if you accidentally knock it off a night stand.

RAVPower included an LED at the base of the charger, too, so you’ll be able to identify if your phone is charging at a glance. It glows green while your phone is charging and will flash red if there are issues. The light is bright enough to be identifiable in a dark room, but not bright enough to be distracting and light up a corner like some other electronics that include LEDs. Blue LEDs tend to be the brightest, so the decision to go with just red and green was a smart move by RAVPower.

It includes a charging block, but the kinds of speeds you’ll get depends on your phone, too. It’s capable of doing wireless fast charging, and if you’re using a Galaxy S8 you’ll notice a pretty significant improvement in speeds. The latest crop of iPhones or some older Android devices are going to be a bit slower.

Wireless charging simply isn’t as efficient as plugging a cable in, but I got a serviceable charge even with the “slow” charging. I primarily used it beside my bed at night, too, and 8 hours is enough time to charge any device. This also had the advantage of being able to act like a small bedside screen, which was great for Netflix before bed. It also opened up the possibility of using one of those dock apps that I’ve never thoroughly tested before.

So is this the wireless charger to buy for your new phone? Maybe, and that depends on what you expect out of a charger. If you’re looking for something basic to throw your phone on at the end of a day and don’t care about faster charging, the higher price tag might be a turn off. But if you need something a little more versatile and can use the fast charging or might want to use the charger at a desk or office, there’s a lot to like with RAVPower’s offering.

Born in southern Alabama, Jared spends his working time selling phones and his spare time writing about them. The Android enthusiasm started with the original Motorola Droid, but the tech enthusiasm currently covers just about everything. He likes PC gaming, Lenovo's Moto Z line, and a good productivity app.